Vending machine



7, 1930. I COPE 1,742,581

VENDING MACHINE Filed 1929 s Sheets-Sheet 1 I LEMON ORANGE. CHERRY l I II u I INVENTOR.

.RAv M COPE,

ATTORNEY.

R. M. COPE VENDING MACHINE Jan. 7, 1930.

Filed Aug.-

ll. 1928 3 Sheet's-Shet' hh l l h H IHHI H. HH ICH IH INVIN'HIR Jim M COPE,

' 5 ATTORNEY.

Jan. 7, 1930. R, E 1,742,581

VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 11. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

RAY-VMCOPE, E BY QWW AT'I'ORNEY.

Patented Jan. 7, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAYMOND M. COPE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB,

BY nmno'r nn MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, OF ONE-TENTH TO CHARLES VENEMAN AND OF FORTY-FIVE ONE-HUN- DREDTHS '10 WARREN A. JACKSON VENDING MACHIN E Application filed August 11, 1928. Serial No. 299,06LHE'SSUED My invention relates to vending machines.

In accordance with my invention, I pro vide a vending machine, which is adapted for vending bottled goods, such as, soft drinks, while not necessarily restricted to this use.

' The machine embodies generally a casing, of such a shape and size that it may be divided into a plurality of units. Each unit has a substantially greater vertical dimenslon than horizontal dimension. Within each unit are disposed inclined trays or supports, upon which bottles rest, in a manner to permit of their free rolling action. By having the compartment of a much greater vertical dimension than horizontal dimension, a large number of trays or supports are employed, and each tray or support is relatively short. The trays provide a zig-zag passage way for the bottles. The set of bottles on each tray is relatively short, thus reducing pressure 9r frictional engagement between the bottles In each set. This is important, as it permits ofthe free rotation of the bottles and eliminates the possibility of the bottles breaking, in 5 movement, or binding in their rolling action, which frequently occurs, if the inclined tray or support is long, whereby there is a large number of bottles in each set. The casing is divided into a plurality of vertical compartments, as stated, by partitions, and these partitions, as well as the trays or supports, are

provided with openings. These openingsafford the free circulation of air through all portions of the casing, and in addition,

lighten and cheapen the construction. The

openings in the trays or supports extend throughout the major portion of their length, and also serve to reduce the contact areas be; tween the trays and bottles, and hence reduce the friction between the trays and bottles. A refrigerating unit is preferably mounted exteriorly of the casing, upon the top thereof, and supplies the chilled air to the casing, which circulates through all portions thereof, thus pro erl cooling the bottles. The casing is pre cra' ly provided with relatively large doors to afford access to the interior thereof for refilling the casing, each door affords access to a plurality of vertical com- 50 partments. Each vertical compartment is the adjacent bottle,

provided with a vending door, a coin controlled lock. Upon the insertion of a coin, the vending door may be opened. The vending door is preferably hinged and when swung to the open position, a dividing plate or element, preferably rigidly secured thereto, is moved between the lowermost bottle and supporting the adjacent bottle so that it can not move downwardly. Preferably formed integral with the dividing plate-or element is an ejector plate or element, which is angularly arranged, and adapted to engage behmd the bottom of the bottle, and to automatically shift the same forwardly, so that its neck projects a suitable distance forwardly beyond the casing. This enables the bottle to be conveniently removed by the operator. The entire machine is very compact, neat and attractive in appearance, and is entirely free of pivoted operating parts, such as levers, whereby the operation of the machine is simple and reliable.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a'vending machine embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same,

Figure 3 is a central vertical transverse section taken on line 3'3 of Figure 1, the vending door being shown open,

Figure 4 is a central vertical longitudinal.

section taken on line 44 of broken away,

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 55 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a detailed horizontal section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 4, and,

Figure 3, parts F lgure 7 is a perspective View of the vcnd-- ing door and associated elements.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 10 designates a casing as a whole, which is preferably rectangular, and preferably has a greater longitudinal dimension than a vertical dimension. This casing is supported by legs 11, as shown. The numeral 12 designates a refrigerating unit, such as is now being manucontrolled by i factured, and this unit is mounted upon the top of the casing 10, and is adapted to suppl cooled air to the interior of the casing, such air entering at the top of the casing and descending therein.

The casing 10 is provided upon its front side with openings which are normally closed by doors 13, hinged upon the same as shown at 14:. These doors may be held in the closed position by locks 15, of any well known or preferred type. By opening the doors 13, access may be had to the various compartments within the casing, for replenishing the supply of bottles. 4

Arranged within the casing 10 are vertical partitions 15, rigidly held in place by any suitable means, and these partitions have relatively large air circulating openings 16, as shown. The partitions 15 divide the casing into vertical compartments 17, the number of compartments varying with the length of the casing. Each compartment has a substantially greater vertical dimension than horizontal dimension.

Arranged within the compartments are inclined staggered supporting elements or trays 18, providing tortuous passages, as shown. The upper ends of one set of trays 18 in the end compartments 17 are attached to the ends of the casing, and the other set of trays have their upper ends attached to the partition 15'. In the intermediate compartments, both sets of trays are secured to the partitions. The trays .18 are provided with relatively large longitudinal openings 19, extending throughout the major portion of their length. These openings serve to lighten and cheapen the construction of the trays,

permittin of the free circulation of the air through t 1e trays, and also reducing the area of contact between the trays and the bottles supported thereon, causing the bottles to roll with reduced friction. The lower end of the upper tray 18 is spaced from the upper end of the next lower tray, affording openings 20, for the passage of the bottles.

Arranged within the bottom of each compartment 17 is a bottle receiver 21, which is rigidly attached to the partition 15', or the end of the casing 10, as may be required. This bottle receiver is substantially semicircular in cross section and is provided with transverse openings 22 for the circulation of air and to reduce the friction between the same and the bottle. The longitudinal axis of the bottle receiver 21 is at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the adjacent inclined tray 18, as shown. The realend of the bottle receiver 21 is spaced from the back Wall of the casin 10, to provide for the travel of an ejector, to described.

Each vertical compartment 17 is provided in the front wall of the casing 10 with a vending opening, to be closed by a vending door 23, hinged to the casing as shown at 2ft, to

swing horizontally. Each door 23 is provided with a glass covered peep-hole 25, so that the operator may ascertain if the compartment is filled or empt Each door is further provided with a coin controlled lock device embodying a knob 26, and a slot 27 for receiving the coin. U on the insertion of a coin into the slot 27 t me look device 26 may be actuated so that the door 23 may be swung to the open position. When the door is again closed, the lock device 26 will hold the door locked in the closed position, until another coin has been inserted into the slot 27. The

door 23 of each vertical compartment 17 is in alinement with the bottle receiver 21.

The numeral 28 designates a horizontally swinging separator, or plate, having a shank 29, which is rigidly attachedto the inner side of the vending door 23. The separator swings horizontally with the vending door. When the vending door is closed, Figure 5, the separator 28 is disposed at aright angle to the bottle receiver 21, and when the door 23 is swung to the open position, Figure 5, the separator 28 passes between the bottle in the receiver 21 and the adjacent upper bottle, the movement of the separator in that direction being limited by contact with the partition 15.

The separator is provided at its inner or free end with a depending angularly arranged ejector 29, rigidly attached thereto, and preferably formed integral therewith. This angularly arranged ejector is adapted to be forced behind the bottle, and travels in the space at the rear of the receiver 21, and will force the bottle outwardly, a short distance, so that its neck will be positioned within the vending opening, to be conveniently engaged bythe customer.

The arrangement of the vending doors 23 is such that a number of customers may operate the machine, at the same time. Each customer inserts a coin into the slot 27, and actuates the coin controlledlock device 26, as by turning the knob of the same, whereby the door is unlocked. The vending door is then shifted to the open position. The separator or plate 28 will now pass over the lowermost bottle within the receiver-'21, supporting the next upper bottle. As the separator 28 is forced between the bottles, the angularly arranged ejector 29' slidably engages with the rear end of the'bottle, forcing its forwardly slightly, whereby the neck of the bottle is positioned within the vending opening,

to be conveniently engaged by the operator, whothen completely removes the bottle from the casing. When the vendingadoor is closed, the ejector 28 is shifted from beneath the then lowermost bottle, and the bottles roll down the inclinedtrays or supports, and the lowermost bottle is again held within the bottle receiver 21.

It isto be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my inventlon, I claim:

1. In a vending machine, a passagewa for receiving bottles or the like to travel t erein, a receiver arranged near the lower end of the passageway, a horizontally pivoted separator arranged near the receiver to pass between the bottle held therein and the next upper bottle, an angularly disposed ejector carried by the separator to engage with the bottle within the receiver and to shift the same therein without completely removing the bottle therefrom, and means to control access to the bottle.

2. In a vending machine, an inclined passageway for receiving bottlesor the like to roll therein, a receiver arranged near the lower end of the passageway, a pivoted horizontally swinging separator arranged near the receiver to pass between the bottle held therein and the nextupper bottle, an' angularly disposed ejector rigidly mounted upon the separator and adapted to engage behind the end of the bottle within the repassageway within the casing,'a receiver near the lower end of the inclined passageway and having its end arranged in general aline ment with the vending opening, a horizontally swinging separator rigidly mounted upon the vending door and adapted for movemovement above and across the receiver, and an angularly disposed ejector rigidly secured to the separator and depending therefrom.

5. In a vending machine, a casing, an upstanding passageway formed therein and having a substantially greater vertical dimension than horizontal dimension, said passageway embodying inclined trays having longiing over the major portion of the areas of the same, the openings providing for the free circulation of air and reducing the contact area between the trays and bottles or the like supported thereby, a receiver arranged near the lower end of the passage way, a movable vending door to afford access to the receiver, and a separator connected with the vending door and adapted to move over and across the receiver.

6. In a vending machine, a casing, means dividing the casing into upstanding compartments which have substantially greater vertical dimension than horizontal dimension, relatively short inclined trays disposed in staggered relation in each compartment for providing an inclined passageway, said trays having openings for the circulation of air,

relatively short inclined trays arranged in each compartment in staggered relation to provide an inclined passageway which has a substantially greater vertical dimension than horizontal dimension, said tra-ys having openings formed therein for the circulation of air and to reduce the area of contact between the trays and bottles or the like supported thereby, a receiver arrangednear the lower end of each passageway, a movable vending door for each receiver, a separator carried by the door and movable above and across the receiver, and means to supply a cooling medium to the upper portion of the casing.

8. In a vending machine, a casing, an up- -standing passageway vformed therein-and having a substantially greater vertical dimension than horizontal dimension, said passageway embodying bottle supporting means having longitudinal openings formed therein extending over the major portion of the area of the same, the openings providing for the free circulation of air and reducing the contact area between the trays and bottles or the like supported thereby, a receiver arranged near the lower'end of the passageway, a movable vending door for the receiver, a separator connected with the door and moved thereby and adapted to be shifted across the receiver, an ejector carried by the separator and adapted to engage with the bottle or the like to partly shift the same from the receiver, and means to supply a cooling'me- '(lium to the upper portion of the casing. tudinal openings formed therein and extend- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

RAYMOND M. COPE. 

